


if distance only makes you stronger (don't make it last any longer)

by littleblacksubmarines



Category: Baseball RPF
Genre: Happy Ending, Light Angst, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Pet Names, lots of facetime, mild trade angst, this is really self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 16:06:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17922029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleblacksubmarines/pseuds/littleblacksubmarines
Summary: In his heart of hearts, Jason knows that their relationship is strong enough to withstand the distance, the different schedules.





	if distance only makes you stronger (don't make it last any longer)

Jason cries the day Michael signs with the Astros. A part of him continued to hold out hope that the front office would pull their heads out of their asses and keep Michael in Cleveland where he belonged, with Jason. But this is baseball, baseball is a business, and that doesn’t stop the tears from flowing, and Jason thinks Michael cries too.

In his heart of hearts, Jason knows that their relationship is strong enough to withstand the distance, the different schedules. That doesn’t make it any easier to know that he won’t be seeing his boyfriend every day, won’t be falling asleep and waking up next to him, that they won’t cook and work out side by side; that Michael won’t be there until October at the earliest. 

*

Jason tries not to think of all of that, tries to just live in the moment and enjoy his time with Michael; tries not to think of half his team being traded. Lonnie is still close, and Pittsburgh is certainly closer than Houston, but seeing Yan, Edwin, and Miller leave is just painful, not to mention Guyer, Yandy, and Yonder. Instead, he watches Bauer terrorize people on Twitter, begs Clev to talk some sense into him, and suddenly worries about how the Astros will react to having someone from Cleveland on their team, what with the way Trevor has been acting lately.

 _Relax, Clev tells him, everybody knows that Brant is nothing like Trev. He doesn’t even have social media. He’ll be fine._ It’s not enough to soothe him completely, but it helps.

He keeps up with Leonys, enjoys the pictures of his kids, thanks whatever higher power there is every day that Leonys is healthy and back on track. Francisco texts him almost every day, and Michael and Jason pick him up at the airport when he decides he wants to sulk around Jason’s apartment until it’s time to report to Goodyear. Frankie jokingly calls them mom and dad, and makes a point to wear noise-blocking headphones on Michael’s last night there.

*

It’s like any other night: Michael and Jason cook dinner, reggaeton playing in the background, Jason’s cat winding herself around their legs. They eat with Francisco, listen to him talk about physical therapy and his calf, and how he thinks he’ll be ready for opening day. They share knowing smiles when he talks about Javier Báez, and watch how Frankie’s whole demeanor changes when he brings up Javy, the way his face lights up and he turns into Mr. Smile. Jason suspects that’s how he looks whenever he talks about Michael.

It hits Jason in the shower like a ton of bricks, that this is last night with Michael until the end of April. Tears slip down his cheeks before he can stop them, heavy sobs threatening to wrack his body. It suddenly occurs to Jason that he hasn’t really been away from Michael in the years that they’ve been dating, and he doesn’t know how he’s going to handle it. Lost in his thoughts, Jason jumps when he feels strong arms wrapping around him. 

“Why you crying, baby?” Michael asked, placing a kiss on Jason’s shoulder, wrapping his arms tighter around his boyfriend. 

“Everything hit me at once. Our last night together. We only play each other twice this year. We haven’t been apart for very long while we’ve been together. I’m gonna miss you, Michael. I’m gonna miss waking up with you, falling asleep with you. I’m gonna miss you in left field, in the dugout, in the locker room.” Jason felt the words coming out of his mouth faster than he could stop them. 

“It’s gonna be okay, babe. I’m gonna miss you too, but we’re gonna get through this. We can make it work.” Michael said, cupping Jason’s face with his hands, running his thumbs over his cheeks.

Jason took a shaky breath and nodded, pulling Michael in for a kiss. 

*

“It’s gonna be weird going to Florida for spring training.” Michael said early the next morning, laying on Jason’s chest. 

“It’s gonna be weird going to Goodyear without you.” Jason deadpanned, running his fingers over Michael’s hair. 

“At least I’ll get to see Gomer.” Michael mumbled, turning his head to kiss Jason’s pec, “how much time do we have before we have to leave?”

“Three hours.” Jason whispered as Michael kissed his way up his neck. 

“You can come twice in three hours.” Michael said, a wicked grin on his face. “Maybe we’ll try for three.”

*

Jason was glad to be in Goodyear, to see his teammates he didn’t see in the off-season, and to meet new teammates and callups. There was a small part of him avoiding Terry, even though logically Jason knew that what happened wasn’t Terry’s fault. That didn’t lessen the hurt any, though. 

Sandy seemed to be able to read Jason’s mind, patting him on the shoulder and giving him a sad smile. 

“I know you miss him.” Sandy said. “But so do the rest of us. Don’t take it out on Tito.” 

Jason made it a point to give Terry a hug when he left for the hotel. 

*

“How’s Goodyear?” Michael asked, staring into Jason’s eyes the best he could via FaceTime. 

“Weird.” Jason answered without hesitation. “Everyone’s gone, there’s so many new people, Tito’s been giving me sad eyes, and Sandy can read minds now, apparently.”

Michael huffed out a laugh. “Palm Beach isn’t much better. I know like two people here. And that’s including Gomer. Sandy’s always been able to read you, babe.”

The two were quiet for some time, just taking each other in, Michael smiling as he could hear Francisco puttering around in the background. 

“What’s Frankie doing?” He asked Jason, stripping his shirt off.

“Cooking, I think. I don’t know.” Jason said around a lump in his throat. “What’re you doing?”

“I am going to shower and go to bed like a good boy.” Michael chuckled. “I love you, baby. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“I love you too, bug.” Jason said, blowing a kiss at his phone. 

*

Spring training couldn’t have moved any slower in Jason’s mind. Of course he FaceTimed Michael every day, but Jason was counting down the days until they’d land in Houston and he’d finally get to see Michael. 

“So are you ready for opening day?” Michael asked, watching Jason do his pre-bed stretches through the phone’s camera. 

“Yeah. Frankie’s cleared to play, and I think we’re all hoping that Haase sees more time behind home plate.” Jason huffs. “Definitely gonna be missing something special in the outfield though.”

“Leonys is back and he’s healthy, you’ll be fine.” Michael said fondly, grinning at the exasperated look Jason shoots him.

“Dick.” he smiles, “You know what I meant.”

“Yeah, yeah. Get some sleep, I’ll talk to you in the morning. I love you, dandelion.” Michael said, blowing a kiss at the camera. 

*

Jason was absolutely ecstatic that they won their home opener. Not only that, but hitting a home run in the top of the ninth? Jason was on top of the world. He couldn’t stop hugging Frankie, jumping on Cookie, and yelling in Clev’s general direction. 

“Come, mijo, there’s something you must see.” Sandy said to Jason in the dugout, causing Jason to freeze like a deer in headlights. 

“What’s going on?” Jason asked, following Sandy into the clubhouse. “Is everything okay?”

Sandy nodded, opening the door to the locker room, motioning for Jason to go inside. Smiling, Jason stepped past him into the locker room, hearing the door shut softly behind him. Jason looked around the empty locker room, confused as to why Sandy led him here. He frowned, seeing Michael’s empty locker next to his. That would take some time getting used to.

“There you are, baby.” Jason heard a familiar voice say, whipping around to find Michael standing in the doorway.

“Michael!” Jason squeaked, running to throw his arms around his boyfriend. “What are you doing here? You had a game today! What’s going on?”

“I pulled some strings to be here for you.” Michael said, holding Jason close. “I have to leave in the morning, but I’m here now.”

“Well, let me shower, and we can sneak out of here.” Jason said, “I am so happy to see you.”

*

The rest of April flies by, and the next thing Jason knows, they’re landing in Houston. The Astros left a bitter taste in his mouth after the ALDS, there’s no getting around that. After he read the article about them possibly cheating, well, that bitter taste intensified. 

“So did the Astros really cheat?” Jason asked Michael, looking at him from the passenger seat of Michael’s car. 

“I don’t know, babe.” Michael said, glancing at Jason out of the corner of his eye. “No one here really wants to unpack that.”

“I certainly do.” Jason pouted. “And I’m sure there are plenty of other people who would love to unpack that.”

“I’d love to unpack you.” Michael grinned, raising his eyebrows at Jason, causing him to laugh.

“If you’d stop driving like my nana and get us to your house, you can do whatever you want to.” Jason sighed, pulling their joined hands close to press a kiss on Michael’s knuckles.

*

“So we really won’t see each other again until the All-Star game?” Jason asked, arms around Michael.

“I don’t think so, babe.” Michael sighed. “But we can try.”

“I can’t wait to watch you kick ass in another All-Star game.” Jason said, pulling back to look Michael in the eyes.

“You’ll be right there with me, dandelion.” Michael grinned, pulling Jason in for a kiss. 

He could only hope so.

*

Baseball is a grind, that’s what Francisco says; so Jason just grinds along with him and the guys. They win, they lose, they go into extra innings. Guys get hurt, Clev manages to get Bauer to stop terrorizing Astros fans on Twitter, and Jason watches everybody’s kids grow like bad weeds. He loves being Uncle Jason, and he has no qualms with wearing a blue dress and blonde wig and having a tea party with the Clevinger girls. And if Michael cries a little when he sees those pictures, along with those of the Carrasco girls sleeping on Jason, well, no one is any the wiser.

Jason is absolutely _elated_ that he is chosen as an All-Star. Busting his ass in the offseason has payed off, and he orders extra prints of the photoshoot with the other All-Stars: Frankie, Clev, Cookie, and José. Of course, Michael is chosen as an All-Star, along with Yan and Edwin. Frankie told him that Javy, naturally, is an All-Star too. Jason’s heart is happy - he knew they’d all make it. 

*

Jason has an absolute blast at the All-Star game, he’s glad to be at home in Cleveland. Most importantly, he’s glad to have Michael back, and glad to see old teammates and friends from other teams. Jason’s cat is happy to have Michael back, too, because she doesn’t leave his side at all.

Michael and Jason are sitting back and watching Javy and Francisco play catch. Those two love each other, but Jason doesn’t think they’ve acknowledged it yet. It’s nice to watch them together; nice to know that Francisco is happy. Michael knocks Jason’s shoulder with his own, giving him a soft smile, and Sandy and Terry come sit with them. Jason doesn’t think that his life could get any better.

*

The Indians play the Astros again after the All-Star game, and then it’s another goodbye between Michael and Jason, truly not knowing when they’ll see each other again this time. October at the earliest, November at the latest, because Jason’s got a feeling the Indians are going to the playoffs again. It’s only the beginning of August, but the second half of baseball season always flies by - that’s what Jason tells Michael - and they’ll see each other soon. It doesn’t make it any easier, though, watching Michael walk out of their once-shared apartment.

For the fourth year in a row, the Indians clinch the division, sending them to the ALDS. Being back in the playoffs is a grind, and Jason works harder than he ever has before. The World Series slipped by them in 2016, and the team is damned if they’ll let it happen again. The Astros have sputtered out, unable to take flight, and Jason selfishly takes comfort in the fact that Michael will soon be home with him. 

Game after game, the Indians fight until they can’t fight any more, losing brutally to the Red Sox during a thunderstorm. It’s like Mother Nature knew what was coming and opened up the sky, letting her tears fall down onto Progressive Field. Bruised, battered, defeated, the team files one by one into the locker room. Terry had told Jason that Michael would be waiting for him upstairs, that he was keeping all the kids distracted. Jason nods numbly, gives what’s probably his worst post-game interview, and trudges off to the showers to cry. 

*

Bad days don’t last forever, Jason knows this for a fact, so he immediately texts Lonnie. The next thing he knows, him and Michael are flying to North Carolina, where there’s no baseball and no one gives a fuck about the Red Sox. Lonnie, Meredith, and the kids welcome Michael and Jason with open arms, telling them to stay as long as they want. Clev meets up with them and the four of them head out on Lonnie’s boat, because there’s nothing some fishing can’t fix. 

Michael has another year with the Astros, Lonnie doesn’t know where he’ll end up come spring, and Jason’s contract is up as well. The anxiety about being traded is almost too much. Jason’s been with the Indians his entire career, he can’t imagine playing anywhere else. He’s the only one left from the World Series, and that shakes him to his core. But for now, he’ll worry about catching fish, about adding new steps to his workout routine, and how his mom is doing in Chicago. 

“Hey babe?” Michael calls, breaking Jason from his trance.

Jason’s sitting on Lonnie’s back porch, watching the sun set over the field, listening to the birds sing their song.

“Do you want to get married?” Michael asks with a grin, and Jason flies off the swing, into Michael’s arms where he belongs.

“What kind of fucking question is that?” Jason huffs out, laughing and crying, “of course I do!”

And suddenly, Jason thinks that he has a whole new list of things to worry about.

**Author's Note:**

> W H E W. Special thank you to @phenanthrene_blue for beta duties, words of encouragement, and being an all-around good person and friend. Also thank you to Krys for encouraging me to write this atrocity of life! 
> 
> Title from Looks Red, Tastes Blue by Mayday Parade. (tbh the whole album made a good soundtrack to write this to, but I especially recommend listening to this song)
> 
> The only thing that's real here is that we all miss Michael Brantley. 
> 
> OH ALSO if you're interested in some tea, supposedly the Astros cheated during games with the Indians and the Red Sox by having a guy take pictures inside of the dugouts. Here is an article: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/oct/17/houston-astros-cheating-allegations-boston-red-sox-cleveland-indians-mlb


End file.
